Thomas walter



T. WALTER.

Car-Track Clearer.

No. 87,126. l Patented Feb. 2 3, 1869l tluitd Sitam;A

gia-tent i t 'THOMAS WALTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

' Lem/rs Patent No. 87,126, dated Fam/ry 23, lisos.

INIPROVED SAFETY-GUARD FOR RAILWAY-CAR.

' o-QN- 'ihe Schedule referred to in these Letters-Patent and making parl: of the nm. V

To all whom fit ma/y conce/rn:

Be it known that I, THOMAS WALTER, of the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Guards for Railroad-Cars, of ywhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to prevent accidents to passengers in getting 0n or olf, or to persons in any way liable to be run over by the cars; and

My invention consists in certain novel methods, hereinafter described, of combining, with a car, guards or fenders composed of rattan, or other equivalent elas' tic material, which will sweep any person falling upon the track, out of the way of the wheels.v

In the accompanying drawings, which show the severalmodes in which I lcontemplate carrying out my invention- Figure l represents a view, in perspective, of my improved safety-guard, adapted to a street-railway car, the red lines,indicatingtheoutlines ofthecar-body 'Figure 2 represents a view, in perspective, of the guard, as adapted to be applied directly to the bearings of the car, without a supportingiiame;

Figure 3 represents a transverse section, through the guard at the line x :t of iig. 2, showing its mode of construction; and

Figure 4 represents a view, in perspective, ofa guard 'with a hinge or 'j oint, to allow vertical play.

In fig. 1, the red lines represent the lower portion of ya car-body, mounted on trucks A, and provided with the usual springs and appliances of a completely-equipped car.

A frame is composed, in this instance, of two strips of metal, b b, arranged parallel to each other on the `outer and innerfsides of the pillow-blocks B, which support the car. n,

These strips are held together by rivets b2, thus constituting a strong but light frame, for the attachment and support of the guard.

The guard consists of strips c, of rattan 0r bamboo, doubled over'a central strip of wood, cl, and clamped between two wedge-shaped bai's cica, by screws c, (see fig. 3.) By this means I form a simple, cheap, and effective guard, and can vary the'angle of inclination of the guard, by varying the angle of the wedge-bars c2 ci.

In fig. l, thevi'ront guard D is shown as constructed of two strips, rigidly united at their inner ends, so las to form a plow-shaped guardwith its outer ends projecting beyond the tracks..

This guard is suspended by hooks d from the frame b b1, above described.K

The rear guard D', iig. l, is constructed so as to embrace three sides ofthe car in a rigid frame, as will be obvious from the drawing.

The frame and guard above described can easily be adapted to cars now built., It is obvious, however, that the entire car might be enclosed in a rigid guard-frame. The frame b b, it will be` observed, rests loosely on the bearings B', and thus maintains its proper relation to the rails, irrespective ofthe vertical oscillations of the car on its springs.A

In fig. 2, I have shown a method of suspending the guard directly from the bearings B, by straps ejwhich arrangement dispenses with the framejz/bf In order to hold the guard /fumlylin its normal position, and yetallow it 12o/yield, incase'the cargets oi' the track, andthus/'p/vent the breaking of the guard, I suspendftheV guard from'the car by' a hinged strap, F, provded'with a rigid stop, j, which prevents the guard from yielding inwardly, and with a spring-stop, f', to prevent it yielding too far outwardly.

In iig. 4, I have shown the guard as provided with a hinge, G, which allows either sectioutoplay vertically without the other.

Metal rods might he used, but would not answer so good a purpose, besides being more expensive. f.

By my improvement, accidents to passengers, by falling or slipping under thecars in'getting onor off, (which accidents are-at present 'of such frequentoccurrence,)

will eectually be prevented, and any persons falling or thrown on the track, will be removed, without being run over by the wheels or 'crippled by the guard.

I am aware that cow-catchers have long been used to sweep obstacles from a railroad-track, and that brooms also have been used to sweep the rails. thatrigid fenders have been used to prevent passengers getting under the wheels; but I am not aware of the previous use of a. guard or fender composed of independent elastic rods, which run in contact with oi" very near the rails, yield inwardly to the inequalities of the road, and are yet rigid enough to throw obstacles outof the way lof the wheels.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The framing b b, for the guard, constructed as shown in fig. 1.

2. The petticoat or rigid i'rame-guard-DT, constructed and applied. as shown in iig. l.

3. The combination, substantially/asset forth, of a broom-supporting frame, restingon theaxle-boxes or; bearings of the car, and afen'ider or guard suspended uom the frame, for the purposes specified.

4. Attaching the broom directly to the axle-boxes, as shown in g. 2.

5. The combination, substantially as set forth, of .a

safety-guard, with' a car, by a hinge, a stop to preventv inward deflection, and a spring to resist outward Dressnre, as specified.

6. A safety-guard, composed of strips of rattan or bamboo,'compressed between angular blocks,'as set forth, to give the desired inclination to the fender, and facilitate repairs.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

Witnesses: THOMAS WALTER.

HENRY BALDWIN, Jr.,v Jon I; Perron.

I am also aware 

